One Year In The Life Of Remus And Tonks
by Ralinde
Summary: Remus and Tonks never did have an easy life. In the year that they were together, a lot happened.


_A/N: This was written for the Fanfiction Dominoes, for the pairing Remus/Tonks._

* * *

_June_

"Fleur still loves Bill!"

"Bill doesn't become a werewolf once a month, Greyback wasn't transformed when he bit him!"

"When do you get it?" Tonks yelled. "When do you get it that _I don't care_?"

They were having the same argument they had had almost every day for the past week now, ever since Fleur Delacour had declared not to be bothered by Bill's scars.

They glared at each other. At last, Remus sighed in exasperation.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to kiss me."

For a moment there was a deafening silence. Tonks had told him over and over again that she liked him, but never as outright as this.

"Well? Are you going to do something or what?"

Remus looked at Tonks. Everything about her, from her posture to the challenging look in her eyes told him that this could very well be the last chance she'd give him.

Tonks' shoulders slumped when he made no move and Remus suddenly realised that if he didn't do anything now, he'd lose her forever.

Hesitantly, he bent forward. Tonks met him halfway and when their lips met, Remus felt like he could take on the world.

* * *

_July_

They had a simple wedding. Tonks' parents were present, as were Arthur and Molly Weasley and Alastor Moody. But when they looked in each other's eyes after the Minister had declared them husband and wife, they didn't care if there were five people present or five hundred, because they had finally found each other, and that was all that mattered. They shared a passionate kiss that they only broke off when Alastor dryly said: "We're still here, you know."

They laughed and soon the others joined in.

It was a beautiful day, they were happy, and for one moment, Voldemort and his Death Eaters seemed something of a past long forgotten.

* * *

_August _

"Are you alright?" Remus asked in a worried tone. For the last couple of days, Tonks had suffered from a stomach bug.

She nodded. "Remus," she said. "I think… I don't know if this is a stomach bug. Molly was here the other night, when you were out on Order business, and…" She hesitated. They had only been married for a month! How would Remus react?

"And?" Remus echoed.

"And she reckons I might be expecting."

His eyes grew big. "Are you sure?"

"Well, I haven't done a test yet, but if there's anyone who knows about pregnancies, it would be Molly Weasley."

Remus was silent for a moment.

"Remus? Would you please say something?"

"Where can you get these tests?" he said.

Tonks hesitated again. "Molly got me one from St Mungo's, just in case."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go get it!"

"You're not mad?"

Remus stared at her. "Mad? Why would I be mad? It would be great!"

* * *

_September_

"I don't think you should do any Order work anymore. Or Auror missions, for that matter."

Tonks looked at Remus in disbelief. "What? Why would you say that?"

He hesitated. "I just don't think it's wise, you know, in your condition…"

She laughed. "Remus, come on, I'm not even two months along yet. The pregnancy isn't even showing! My nausea has stopped, I'm functioning just fine…"

"Still, it doesn't feel right for you to be doing dangerous things."

Tonks was touched by his sudden protectiveness. She placed a hand on his arm. "Darling, it's war. Do you think He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will give a damn about my condition? Do you think he gives a damn about me at all?"

"No, he doesn't. And that's what's bothering me. I don't want to loose you."

"You won't," she promised. "But I won't sit around and do nothing either. That just isn't me."

They looked at each other and she knew that he knew, for he sighed. "Fine, but try to stay safe, okay?"

"I will."

* * *

_October_

"He's really gone?" Remus asked. He just couldn't believe that Ted Tonks would just pack up and leave.

Tonks nodded, there were tears in her eyes. "He said he couldn't risk endangering us anymore. He's a Muggleborn, and with the new regulations the Ministry put in place… He refuses to register."

"But where will he go?"

"How would I know?" she replied angrily. She immediately felt bad for yelling at him. "I'm sorry Remus, I…"

"I understand," he said soothingly. "But he didn't tell where he would go to?"

This time, she shook her head. "I think he thought that it would be safer for us if we didn't know. But Merlin, I'll miss him!"

Remus wrapped his arms around her. "I know. I'll miss him too."

* * *

_November_

"You can't be serious!"

The snide remark he'd heard in his Hogwarts' days a million times was on the tip of his tongue, but he managed to control himself.

He tried again, from a different angle this time. "Don't you see it? I could be a danger to this child. What if I'm taking care of him, and it's a full moon? What'll happen if I transform?"

"You've never hurt _me_!" she said accusingly. "And you have the Wolfsbane Potion, you'll be fine."

Then Remus said the thing he'd been dreading for days now.

"What if this child… is like me?" he whispered miserably.

"I would be proud if he looked like you," Tonks said fiercely. "You're kind and brave."

"You know that's not what I mean."

"I do, but what if he is? It's too late to change anything about it now. And besides, he'll have you around to help him out."

Remus remained silent. He wasn't sure that him having a baby was a good idea at all.

* * *

_December_

Tonks spent the most miserable Christmas she had ever had. Her father was on the run for the Ministry, her husband was running away from himself and her mother spent half her days locked in her room. On top of that, the pregnancy started to bother her. She couldn't do the work she used to do. She couldn't get a decent night's sleep. And she was worried sick for both her father and her husband. She had never felt more alone. She stroked her belly absentmindedly. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, kiddo."

* * *

_January_

"Andromeda? Tonks?"

Both Tonks and her mum looked up when the head of Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared in the hearth.

"I have but little time, but I needed to tell you this."

His face looked grave and Tonks felt her heart sink in her chest. She instantly knew that whatever news Kingsley had, it wouldn't be good.

"They found Ted," he said. "He…" He sighed. "I'm so sorry," he said defeated.

Her mother let out a heartbreaking wail, but Tonks could just stare at the hearth. It couldn't be true. Her father, who had always been her anchor, couldn't be dead, he just couldn't be.

"I'm sorry," Kingsley said again. He left the two of them alone and the women fell into each other's arms and cried.

* * *

_February_

A soft knock on the door made Tonks look up. Then a voice sounded, one that she hadn't heard in months but had dreamed of every night.

"Can I come in?"

She walked slowly towards the door, but didn't open it.

"Why?" she asked, her voice void of emotion. "Why now?"

"Dora, please. I've been an idiot. I shouldn't have left you. I would understand it if you didn't want to be with me anymore, but I would just like to see you. Just one more time."

She still didn't open the door.

"Are you here to stay or just to make excuses?"

"I'm here to stay," Remus said. "If you'll want me, that is. If you don't…, well…"

She hesitated for another moment. Then she opened the door just an inch. "Promise me," she said. "Promise me you'll never leave again."

"I promise. If there's anything I'll regret for the rest of my life, it's leaving you in the first place."

She sighed, then pushed the door open further. "We'll have a lot to discuss," she said, "but you can come in."

* * *

_March_

They had talked, and talked, and talked for weeks, until they grew tired of talking. One morning, they sat at the table and looked at each other. At that moment, they realised again why they had chosen each other. Tonks realised that maybe the time had come to make up her mind. She could either accept Remus' apologies and have him back in her life, or she had to tell him to leave. For this wasn't fair to either of them. After weeks of bickering, it wasn't a difficult decision to make in the end. Even if Remus had left, she still loved him, and she wanted him to play a part in her son's life.

"Remus?"

He looked at her, hope suddenly flaring up in his eyes at her tone.

"Will you come back?"

He stood up and rushed over to her. He hugged her. "Of course I will."

She heard the tears in his voice and leaned into his embrace. _They would make it out together._

* * *

_April_

Tonks lay in the bed, exhaustion written on her face. Her hair was sticking to her head and she felt dirty.

But when Remus walked back into the room, carrying a small bundle of linen, her face lit up and she knew it had all been worth it.

Remus smiled at her. "He looks like you," he said, and placed the small bundle in her arms.

She pulled back the linen blankets and the first thing she noticed was a tuft of turquoise coloured hair.

Tears of joy started to stream down her face. She glanced at Remus and saw that tears were pricking in his eyes, too. They were both thinking the same thing, even though neither of them spoke the words.

Remus bent down and placed a soft kiss on the boy's temple. "Welcome, little Teddy Lupin. Welcome to this world. It isn't the safest place now, but we'll do our best to protect you. We'll make sure nothing bad ever happens to you."

* * *

_May_

"They are fighting at Hogwarts. Kingsley just told me."

"Then we have to go," Tonks resolutely said. She had been breastfeeding Teddy, but made to stand up immediately.

Remus shook his head. "We can't both go," he said. "One of us will need to stay with Teddy."

"You'll stay then," she said.

He shook his head again. "He needs his mum more. You're still breastfeeding him!"

An internal struggle was going on in Tonks' mind. Her Auror-self battled with her mother-self and she sighed.

"Stay safe, will you?"

"I'll try, my love, but…"

His words hung in the air. He needn't finish his sentence. They both knew there was a realistic chance that this would be the last time they would ever see each other.

They embraced. "I love you, you know that?" he said with tears in his voice.

"I love you too."

He stepped into the fireplace and their eyes locked one more time. "I promise I'll be back," he said, and then he was gone.

She waited hours and hours, but he didn't return. As the clock chimed midnight, she made a decision. Teddy was vast asleep in his crib. She needed to go see for herself. She needed to know if Remus was safe. She left a note to her mother, who had gone to bed an hour earlier. _I promise I'll be back._

Then she too stepped into the fireplace and with her mind on her husband she called "The Hog's Head!"


End file.
